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| Christopher Hewitt |
The following is an interview with Christopher Hewitt, runner-up of the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournament at Anime Milwaukee 2023:
Where are you from, and how did you get into competitive Smash?
I’ve been all over the state of Wisconsin, but I’m currently living in Oshkosh. My roots in competitive Smash stem from the Brawl Club that I’d started at my high school back in 2014. All kinds of students would flock to the library to pick up a Wiimote and duke it out with friends. Some of these students were competitive players, and it was through them that I was introduced to the community. I joined the ranks and started playing in tournaments once Smash 4 was released, and I still occasionally compete to this day.
Which characters do you tend to use in Smash Ultimate?
My main is definitely Ridley. He, just kinda “clicks”, y’know? I love his fantastic punish game and oppressive advantage state; combining these two traits means that even the most minor of mistakes can not only deal absurd damage and potentially kill early, but are also difficult to recover from without allowing yet another punish opportunity. On top of that, his strong offstage presence ensures that Ridley is a threat regardless of stage position. He may not be the strongest pick as far as tiers go, but I think it’s important to play someone that feels natural to you. Also, I like that two of his skins turn him into a robot space pirate dragon. Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t want to play as a robot space pirate dragon.
Other characters I play tend to cover Ridley’s weaknesses. For example, I play Inkling or Shulk into fighters with strong zoning and projectile games, while I counter aggressive rushdown opponents with Meta Knight or Zero Suit Samus. These picks help shore up matchups I’m not confident taking Ridley into.
What changes have you noticed in the Smash Ultimate metagame over the last year or so?
Over the last year, the second wave of DLC characters have gotten a chance to further develop their own individual metagames. Sephiroth, Pyra and Mythra, Kazuya, and especially Steve have all seen noticeable improvement. I’m quite curious about how much further players can push these fighters, as well as what counterplay will arise from better understanding of their gameplay. Only time will tell.
Any standout matches from earlier in the tournament?
I’m afraid that my memory doesn’t serve me as well as it should as far as the earlier matches are concerned. Had a bit of personal drama going on. I would like, however, to take this time to compliment a few of my opponents I fought along the way.
Firstly, Matthew, you definitely didn’t deserve to lose the first round, you made me feel like a sandbag with some of those nutty Kazuya combos. If it weren't for Ridley’s range stuffing out approaches, you could have easily taken that set. Kudos.
Secondly, Manny, your Wii Fit Trainer is officially insane. I couldn’t keep up with all the crazy ball setups you were throwing out, and I’m sure all the people you beat would agree. Also, I just want to appreciate all of the janky hitboxes you were taking stocks with. It’s not every day you see Wii Fit Trainer spike someone with a headbutt.
Lastly, Conkerz, I owe you due credit. I’d like to think I’m fairly good at reading people and their next actions, but at no point did I feel this way about your Bowser. Your mix up game is spectacular, and I think it was a major contributor to your victory. Well played, sir.
Speaking of Conkerz, what was it like playing him in the finals?
Getting to finals is a feeling unlike any other. You take a moment to think about how many people you went through and feel immense pride, and then, in that same moment, you recognize that the guy sitting next to you has done the same thing. The realization dawns: You're in for a very tough match, and the entire crowd will be watching you. It’s equal parts nerve-wracking and exhilarating!
Win or lose, the feeling of letting loose on the worthiest opponent the bracket could provide is a euphoria that I wish everyone putting themselves out there and going to tournaments gets to experience at least once. I’m not sure my words could do it justice, to be completely honest.
What was your strategy in that match?
The Ridley vs Bowser matchup is an interesting one, certainly. Allow me to break down the gameplan:
When approaching Bowser, I try to space myself in a way that stays out of range of most of his kit while staying close enough to still land a neutral air or forward tilt. Getting too close to Bowser–or, God forbid, touching his shield–is exceptionally risky; Bowser can easily intercept bad approaches with his up special or take an early stock with his invincible up smash. These scenarios are to be avoided by playing patiently and avoiding unsafe commitments.
Once I get in on Bowser, he’s pretty easy to combo; Bowser’s heavy weight and tall frame make it very easy to rack up damage on him with a down throw or down tilt string. At this time, I switch to a more aggressive playstyle, as Bowser is no longer able to access most of his defensive tools that previously kept me at bay. Ridley is capable of dealing tons of damage in short order if you can’t shake him off, which is key against Bowser, as the turtle can take quite a beating before going down.
Taking a stock from Bowser usually happens in one of two ways: I either read his next move and respond with a kill move like forward smash or back air at higher percents, or try to gimp his recovery off the side of the stage with my aerials at lower percents. The former method requires a bit of planning, as Ridley’s kill moves tend to be slow or require good positioning to land, while the latter method requires me to get Bowser off the stage first and can be tricky to time. I can also catch Bowser in his shield with a side special and toss him off the screen, but missing leaves me wide open to attack. I have a lot of options, as you can see, but they all have their inherent risks.
That’s a good strategy, but it sounds like putting it into practice is a bit more complicated. What happened?
During the match, especially in the third game, the nerves started kicking in and I began deviating from the gameplan. I started throwing out attacks too aggressively in neutral and not paying as much attention to Bowser’s actions as I should have, ultimately leading to me losing the set to him 2-1.
In the theoretical rematch, I’d probably try to take a moment to calm the nerves and think more rationally. Losing your head against Bowser is a great way to take home a big ol’ L.
What else did you do at Anime Milwaukee this year?
I spent a good chunk of the convention in the game room, grinding out games of Smash with as many people as I could. Scandalous, I know. I really enjoy playing against new people, learning their ins and outs and testing their mettle. Makes for good practice. I also like to try teaching a thing or two to people who aren’t as familiar with the game in goofy, casual style. I feel this helps people realize that the competitive community isn’t as scary as it may seem from the outset. We don’t bite, I promise.
Outside of game room escapades, I mostly accompanied my girlfriend to the vendor hall as the resident pack mule. As it turns out, not many cosplays are designed with storage in mind, so I don't mind lending a hand. We were both really impressed by the art and items on offer this year, so budgeting everything out was much more difficult than anticipated. I also want to give the drag show a quick shoutout, as it had no right being so ridiculously entertaining. It’s abundantly clear you guys put a lot of effort and love into your craft. Go you.
